Intel and Nokia are reportedly planning nuclear “Penwell” CPU with 3G

Intel and Nokia have put each other in their 5 and are officially BFFs! Not only have they morphed their respective mobile Linux platforms into one melting pot to create Meego. But it doesn’t seem to end there as rumors are surfacing of a hardware collaboration too. It was announced the two companies seem to have a special processor in which to accommodate an x86 core, together with various other circuits on a chip. This is called “Penwell” and could be a combination of x86 CPU and 3G modem.

We are moving definitely in the realm of speculation with “Penwell”, the rumors are based on references that can be found on Google. What going on with this chipset is somewhat questionable. Charlie Demerijan from SemiAccurate reported that Nokia and Intel are working on a system-on-Chip (SoC) design. It is meant to be manufactured in 32-nanometer-scale nuclear core, code-named “Medfield” combined with a HSDPA / UMTS modem.

Such partnership would make strategic sense. Intel is looking to crack the mobile/smartphone market that is heavily dominated by ARM and Nokia wants to grow its mobile market share in the US as well as developing its netbooks. Sounds like an exciting venture if true and would fit very well with their MeeGo mobile operating system.

Source SemiAccurate Via NetbookNews.de